Insecure about property and housing, the fifth Albanians in Europe

2024-12-02 08:45:00, Sociale CNA

Land and housing tenure insecurity is on the rise globally, including in Europe, a new report warns. Rising rent and mortgage costs are among the main drivers of this growing perception of insecurity.

The latest global assessment of land and housing security reveals worrying trends. According to Prindex* Report 2024, approximately 1.1 billion adults worldwide – representing 23% of the global population – feel insecure about their rights to property or land. This perception has grown significantly over the past four years.

Albania ranks 5th in Europe, where 20% of adults in the country feel insecure about property and housing.

In Europe and Central Asia, almost one in five adults (19%) report feeling unsafe. Financial pressures, such as rising rent and mortgage costs, are among the main contributors to this growing uncertainty in Europe.

In Albania, 8% of the respondents feel insecure due to the lack of money or other resources needed to live in the property. While 7% feel insecure for fear that the owner or landlord may ask to leave.

Uncertainty is greater than all other Balkan countries, North Macedonia is not included in this year's report.

In Montenegro and Serbia, the main factor driving insecurity is the fear that the owner or landlord may ask you to leave the property. Whereas in Kosovo, the main factor of insecurity is disputes with family or relatives.

In 2024, among the 19 European countries included in the survey that includes EU members, candidate countries and the United Kingdom, Turkey and Greece topped the list as countries with levels of uncertainty of 35 percent or higher. They are followed by Ukraine at 33%, with perceptions of insecurity having increased dramatically since the Russian invasion.

In Cyprus, one in four individuals (25%) expressed feelings of insecurity about their land or residential property, while in the United Kingdom, tenure insecurity was reported by 14% of respondents, a level higher than that of many other European countries.

The lowest perceptions of insecurity were observed in Lithuania (6%), followed by Bulgaria and Moldova, both at 7%. Meanwhile, this figure is 8% in Poland, 11% in Italy and 12% in Hungary and Croatia.

Reasons for insecurity: Financial pressure

Respondents who felt unsure were also asked to state their reasons. The results, presented as weighted percentages of the total sample, show that globally, financial issues and conflicts are the main causes of attitudinal insecurity. The report found that the increase in insecurity is related to finances, which affects a large part of the population who may not be able to pay their rent, mortgage or other costs.

In Europe and Central Asia, the two main reasons for insecurity of tenure are: "The owner or tenant may ask you to leave" (10%) and "lack of money or other resources needed to live in this property" ( 9%) ./ Monitor Magazine